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Health & Fitness

Mayor Belsky urges support for Township Elimination

Elimination of Townships

It is time to consider eliminating townships

The Governmental Accounting Standards Board specifies what state and
local government s put in their annual financial reports and how they account
for the same. This is all in the spirit of transparency for the taxpayers. I
sat on this board for three years and its agenda is often driven by inquiries
that come from accountants preparing financial statements.  Since the great recession of 2008 there have
been numerous inquiries about how to account for the consolidation and
dissolution of governments.  These are
necessary and appropriate responses to fiscal stress.  Let’s
follow suit right here at home and work to eliminate townships

Township governments are an anachronism, dating
back to the 19th century.  At one
time Townships provided essential services such as roads, water and sewer to unincorporated
areas of their respective counties.  In
our case, these services are now provided by mature municipalities such as
Highland Park, Deerfield and Highwood. Most townships located in incorporated
municipalities have very limited roles such as welfare assistance; services to
seniors and property assessment. While all these services are important and needed
they can be provided by existing governments and institutions at a lower cost.

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Moraine Township Finances Our
own Moraine Township’s 2012-2013 budget is $1.77 million. The Assessor’s office
constitutes $532 thousand or 30% of the total. The bulk of the budget comes
from $1.3mm in property taxes. If one nets out the Assessor the budget comes to
$1.24 million.  As far as I can tell, roughly
$190,000 or 15% of that amount goes towards:  welfare assistance including clothing and food
distribution to those in need; transportation for seniors; and maintaining a
cemetery. If that is the case then over
$1 mm or 85% is going toward administrative   overhead,
including a $65,000 dollar salary for the Supervisor; $18,000 for the Town
Clerk; $12,000 total for the four Trustees.

According to the Township’s t
2012 audited financial statements they are sitting on a fund balance of $1.9
million dollars. The Government Finance Officers Association recommends a 10%
fund balance for governments supported by property taxes.  A reserve that is over 100% of your annual
budget is excessive. Adding the overhead to the fund balance represents close
to $3.0mm dollars. These dollars could better serve those in need as well as
provide savings to taxpayers.

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Moraine Township recently elected a highly qualified slate of
individuals to operate the township, and has a hard working staff so this is
written with due respect to all of them. 
However the services they are providing, as indicated above, are expensive
and can be provided at a lower cost, even if the County has to levy a smaller
tax.  Here are my thoughts on how to
provide services and obtain savings in a post township environment.

Senior Transportation: The City
already provides senior transportation through the Senior Connector. Its routes
can be expanded to cover what the township currently provides (e.g. rides to doctors’
appointments).  Also the Pace buses maintained
n by the City could be deployed as well. In fact Pace should be taking over the
City’s transportation program as this is also a duplication of services.

Assessor: There is already a
County Supervisor of Assessments located in Waukegan. They have the expertise
and staff to conduct local property valuations. I understand the local assessor
answers a lot of questions about tax protests. If there is a need for a local presence,
perhaps it could located in the City’s finance department where people pay
other fees and charges including their water bills.

Public Assistance: Public assistance
should be contracted out to existing not for profit social service agencies
located in Highland Park. For example, Family Services of Lake County, Tri Con
and Family Network. These agencies are working with the same population so it
would be more efficient and convenient. In the alternative, clothing and food
distribution could take place by at the County Health Center, located in
downtown Highland Park.

Cemetery:  Finally, the cemetery could be maintained by
the Park District. They are equipped to do so already.

New Legislation Pending: The Evanston
City Council, earlier this year, authorized a non - binding referendum to
eliminate their Township. In March the voters passed the referendum 66.9 % to
33%.  The problem is even if the City
Council wanted to move forward it cannot. 
Local governments are creatures of the State and need legislation to
effect such a change. There is a provision in state law that allows for a
Township to dissolve but it requires a positive vote by every other township in
the County.  Bills have been introduced in
the past to completely eliminate Townships but have failed due to lobbying
efforts by the Township Association.

Here is why I write. Senate President John Cullerton recently
introduced a bill that, if passed, would enable local residents to eliminate their
townships by a majority vote.  Our area legislators need to support this. It
enables the public to have a say in their governance and hopefully provide
greater efficiency, lower taxes and better services to those in need.

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